We Can Be Us
by SageK
Summary: S2 AU Blaine and Sam meet up accidentally and strike up a friendship…and maybe more.


"Wow, that's really good!"

Sam looked up from the small snowman figurine he was carefully painting a scarf on. He knew it was super uncool to like decorating ceramics, but he figured the chances of him bumping into anyone he knew at Color Me Mine were very slim, plus it was cheap and kept the twins busy….

"Thanks," he said, setting down the detail brush as he considered the other boy, who was familiar. "Blaine, right? Kurt's friend?"

The boy nodded, settling down at the table near Sam, placing a reindeer figurine in front of himself. "Yeah," he agreed. "You're Sam...I asked Kurt after sectionals. You and Quinn were very impressive in your duet. What an entrance."

"Thanks," Sam replied, feeling pleased at the praise even if the mention of him and Quinn as a unit stung. "You were awesome too, dude. There's a good reason we tied...Stevie, do not paint Stacy's hair!"

The little boy froze, brush hovering by his sister's ponytail. He pouted for a moment before returning to his own project.

"Kids," Sam muttered, amused, then nodded to Blaine. "Stevie, Stacy, this is Blaine."

The kids chorused hello, more interested in their painting than the teenager.

"It's very nice of you to bring them here," Blaine commented as he began to carefully apply a base coat to the little ceramic deer. "My older brother never would have done something like this."

"They like it, so why wouldn't I bring them?" Sam mused with a shrug. Dipping his brush into the orange, he carefully colored the Snowman's carrot nose. "Not like I don't have fun too."

Blaine nodded his agreement. "I don't think any of my friends would understand my fondness for this place."

"Same," Sam replied with a grin and the two of them spent the rest of the afternoon chatting until Sam had to take his siblings home.

* * *

"He, Blaine!"

The next Saturday, Blaine returned to Color Me Mine to pick up his reindeer, which had been in the kiln, setting for the week. He was surprised to hear Sam's voice behind him, then realized the other boy must be there for the same reason.

Turning to the blond, Blaine smiled. "Hey, Sam...not doing any painting today?"

Last week, it had become obvious that Sam had quite a bit of artistic talent to accompany his enjoyment of painting. The taller boy was still bundled in his coat though, clearly not planning to stay.

Sam shook his head. "Got a football game...do you have plans? Want to came watch?"

The invitation surprised Blaine, but he nodded quickly enough. He followed college football more than high school (Dalton didn't have full contact sports teams), but he enjoyed the game itself. "I haven't been to a football game in ages."

As they packed up their ceramics, Sam grinned. "Stacy might climb on you for warmth," he teased. "She thinks you look like a Disney prince."

Blaine laughed. "If I'm a Disney Prince, what are you?"

"Captain Samerica!" Sam said proudly, striking a heroic pose.

Tapping a finger against Sam's chest (wow, firm under the layers….), Blaine reminded him, "Disney bought Marvel...making Steve a total Disney Prince!"

"That's true," Sam mused, not looking put out by this conclusion. "Just warning you...cuz if you break into song, she's not letting you go."

Of course, Blaine couldn't help but sing quietly when Stacy got bored. She didn't much care for the game if Sam wasn't on the field. Sam had been right in his prediction, and after the game Blaine had accompanied the Evens's home, where he and Sam were commanded to sing Disney duets until Stacy was swept off to bed by their mother.

* * *

"So, Quinn thinks she broke me," Sam said the next weekend as he and Blaine poked through the small comic rack at The Lima Public Library. The twins were downstairs doing arts & crafts, but Sam was a bit too old for that. He'd texted Blaine and the other boy had met him at the library to hang out.

Peering at him over a copy of a two month old Spider-Man, Blaine looked puzzled. "Why would she think that?"

Sam sighed. "It's stupid. Finn said something about the game last week…."

In a moment of clarity, Blaine had to bite back a laugh. "Oh God...don't tell me. Finn saw me there and saw that I was hanging out with you…."

"And Quinn thinks her dumping me made me gay. Because yeah, that's a thing that happens," Sam snorted, rolling his eyes at the faulty reasoning. "Besides...ugh, it's just annoying that she thinks she has any say about my sexuality and Santana keeps making comments about my lips. I went to an all boys school, like I haven't heard alll the comments."

"All you can do is tell them you're not interested in boys and hope they move on," Blaine advised, a little flush on his cheeks.

Rolling his eyes, Sam huffed, "I wish it was that easy. Santana, in addition to the comments, keeps making veiled demands that I date her now...and I'm not gonna straight up lie. Ha. Pun, I think!"

Blaine's head tipped to the side slightly, obviously puzzled.

Sam shifted and shrugged. "Well, I'm not gay...I like girls, but...I like guys too." His breath came out in a rush. This was the first time he'd said those words to anyone other than his parents. "They don't know, my friends at school."

"Am I the first person you've told?" Blaine asked gently, putting the comic down and stepping a little closer to Sam, keeping his voice low.

"No," Sam assured him with a shake of his head. "I told my folks and they said that it meant God just put extra love in my heart and as long as I'm happy, they're happy. I...It's never been a big thing before, cuz I never liked another boy in real life before, just like crushes on actors and stuff, you know?"

"Actor crushes are safe," Blaine agreed with a soft smile. "God knows I've had enough of those. And with the Captain America movie coming out this Summer…."

"Chris Evans,' Sam agreed with a nod. "I'm partial to RDJ's Tony Stark myself, but no denying hotness."

"No," Blaine agreed and Sam felt his heart skip at the happy little smile on the shorter boy's face.

"Anyhow...Rachel's throwing a party next weekend...I was wondering if you might want to go with me?" Sam blurted. "Like...go with me, go with me?"

He didn't know how else to say it, but Blaine seemed to understand.

"I'd like that, Sam," he said, reaching out and touching Sam's wrist. "Are you sure you're ready for that?"

Sam nodded. He liked Blaine and he didn't care who knew. "Yeah, I am," he said, turning his wrist and catching Blaine's fingers in his own.

They stood there, smiling at each other, hands clasped until Stacy ran into Sam's legs to show him her arts and crafts project.


End file.
